Teen Idle
by InstantKarma83
Summary: Misunderstandings and broken families drove them apart, but a chance reunion on top of an old gallery building may be what it takes to help them pick up the pieces. Sasu/Naru friendship, AU, one-shot challenge.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or its characters, nor do I make any profit from this fanfic.

**Warnings:** Brief mentions of sex, drugs, and some foul language. If you cannot handle that, then do not read.

**Rated:**M

**Pairing:** Sasuke and Naruto

**Beta:** LauraNeatO

**Summary:** Misunderstandings and broken families drove them apart, but a chance reunion on top of an old gallery building may be what it takes to help them pick up the pieces. Sasu/Naru friendship. AU.

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**Teen Idle**

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_"If you could either be God's worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?"_

_-Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club_

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Opening the wooden door, Naruto quietly arrived at the rooftop. The late afternoon breeze blew gently, mussing up his hair, as he walked across the familiar, paved surface. The old gallery building he stood on was two stories high and stood directly across from his old high school. It was a place where he used to take refuge on the days when teenage life seemed too overwhelming to handle.

He abruptly froze when he spotted a figure standing against the surrounding parapet on the side of the roof. His eyes widened slightly in surprise.

A tall, broody-looking young man casually leaned against the raised barrier, smoking. He was wearing a form-fitting, black leather jacket with dark, form-fitting blue jeans, and black leather boots. He had equally inky, dark hair styled in a distinct fashion, with heavy, long bangs framing a pale face. The young man looked pensive, as he silently stared at the view of the city before them.

Naruto was surprised to find _him_ here. Then again, at one point in time, this used to be their playground. He absently shut the door behind him.

Sasuke turned slightly upon hearing the roof door shut. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't surprised to see who the new arrival was. He hadn't seen the other in months. Despite the fact that they both lived in neighboring areas, they'd only seen each other once after graduation more than a year and a half ago.

Sasuke turned sideways, idly bracing an elbow on the parapet, as he dispassionately eyed the other. Deep, golden-blond hair, ridiculously bright blue eyes, and tawny skin stood out against the plaid pattern of the other's flannel, military-style shirt, white sneakers, and light brown khaki pants. The other had grown taller since high school, he thought mildly, which was ironic considering that at one time, he used to tower over the male. However, that was a long time ago. Many things had changed since then.

An effortless smirk curved his lips. "Well, well, well. Long time no see, Uzumaki."

Naruto blinked, as he quietly took in the familiar dark features of the other's face. "Sasuke."

Intense, black eyes regarded him with lackadaisical ease. "How long has it been now? Seems like only yesterday that we were punching the living shit out of each other at that party," the dark-haired male remarked casually, as he took a drag from his cigarette.

"Yeah, good times," Naruto murmured sarcastically. A few months prior, at a party held by their mutual friend, Sakura, they'd come to blows less than ten minutes into their initial greetings. They hadn't been told the other would be attending. It was the first time they'd been face to face in well over two years. Due to a series of unprecedented events, a rift as wide as the Grand Canyon had formed between them during their junior year of high school, crippling a friendship that went as far back as elementary school.

Naruto calmly shuffled over to an old crate that was positioned a few feet away from the other male and sat down, resting his elbows on his knees. Although a part of him was wary of the downturn their conversation could take, he wasn't about to punk out now that he was here. This meeting was long overdue.

Sasuke turned fully towards him, his back against the parapet. "Right," he drawled. Lean arms crossed over a black, v-necked Foo Fighters shirt, revealing a leather wristband on one wrist. He also wore a silver chain that had a familiar charm hanging from it just above his breastbone.

"Still wearing that, huh?" Naruto said, his eyes fixated on the charm.

A tapered, dark brow rose. "Old habits die hard, I guess," he offered derisively.

Naruto eyed the red and white fan-like symbol. He recalled that for most of his life, Sasuke had lived under the shadow of his family name. They came from old money, his father having been a chief executive of a holding company, and his mother a socialite. Every member of the Uchiha family had excelled in some moneymaking field, and nothing less had been expected of Sasuke and his older brother, Itachi. Itachi, being an exemplary prodigy, had graduated with honors from high school, and had immediately gone off to Harvard to study law. Sasuke, however, had done everything _but_ be an exemplary Uchiha. While at the start of high school, he'd done extremely well, there was a considerable downturn later on. During that time, Sasuke had dabbled on and off with drugs, missed classes, and gained infamy for being a school rebel. Somehow, he'd managed to graduate, but afterwards, instead of heading off to college, he'd formed a rock band, to the displeasure of his family. Naruto was aware that the Uchiha male now spent his nights playing local gigs with his band, and they were acquiring a small, but loyal following.

Naruto had done the complete opposite. He'd managed to get into an arts university, and was working to help pay for a portion of his tuition. Unlike Sasuke, he didn't come from money and had worked a part-time job since high school to be able to buy many of the frivolous effects he'd wanted as a teenager. His parents had died when he was younger, and he'd lived with his aunt and uncle, who were hard-working storeowners. Now he lived with a roommate in an apartment. He was still far from wealthy, and was no genius, but what talent he did have, he put it to use and was determined to get somewhere.

They'd lived divergent lives, all of this time, and they hadn't run into each other once, with the exception of that one incident. Now they were both face to face at the age of twenty, awkwardly attempting to be civil.

"How's your brother?" he suddenly asked out of genuine curiosity. Naruto hadn't known Itachi well, but the times he had met him, he'd been nothing but courteous towards him.

"He's alive," Sasuke replied blandly, although his eyes were sharply studying him. "Still making the family name proud, and all that shit."

"Did he graduate law school yet?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, cut the crap, Naruto," Sasuke suddenly snapped with a roll of his eyes. "We haven't talked civilly in years, so quit pussy-footing around."

Naruto glared at the other, shaking his head. "Still acting like a bastard after all this time. To think I thought you would've changed, even a little."

Sasuke smirked darkly. "I was born this way. I'm not changing now. What are you here for?" he asked, his smirk dropping.

"The same reason you probably are," Naruto countered perceptibly.

"Hn. You know nothing," he said acerbically, turning his back and leaning his front against the parapet again.

Naruto sighed. This was stupid. A rare opportunity was being presented to him, he reminded himself. Unlike the time at the party where they'd been surrounded by people, they were now alone. It was the perfect time to clear the air. It was now or never.

Naruto rose. He positioned himself alongside Sasuke with several inches separating them. He mimicked his former friend's position, bracing his arms along the barrier. The other's face was tight with a brooding expression. Despite that, it didn't mar the pale, poetic profile he'd inherited from his mother.

Bearing the taut tension in the air, for several minutes, they silently watched, as across the street, some straggling students came out of the tan-bricked, high school building. They looked very young. They were most likely freshmen, Naruto thought, as one of them spontaneously started dancing the Dougie on the sidewalk. The companions laughed hysterically, the laughter echoing through the street below.

"Dumbass gits. Our future is screwed," Sasuke suddenly muttered disdainfully.

Naruto lifted a brow. "What's wrong? You don't have any faith in the next generation?"

"Tch. There's no one for me to have faith in but myself."

"That's a shitty way to live, Sasuke," Naruto murmured next to him, watching as the other took another drag.

His former best friend cast him a sidelong glance, effortlessly exhaling smoke. "But I do shitty so well," he drawled with a leer.

Naruto rolled his eyes. He hated the black-haired male's mordant wit. At one time, he used to derive humor from it, but now it was biting.

"Since when have you become so all-knowing about life anyway, Naruto? Don't tell me you've become Buddhist or something," Sasuke scoffed.

Naruto snorted. "Don't be stupid. I wasn't crazy religious before, and I'm still not, but I'm not faithless. I believe in something."

Sasuke chuckled, surprising Naruto. He eyed the other, thinking to himself that if his chuckle hadn't been so heavy with cynicism, the visual would've suited the Uchiha. He almost looked carefree. _Almost_.

"You were always the altar boy compared to me. You, and your passionate faith and convictions. Let me put it to the test, shall I?" he asked slyly.

Naruto looked at him steadfastly. The bastard wanted to test him, huh. "Knock yourself out," he challenged.

Sasuke inclined his head in acceptance. "Very well. If you could either be God's worst enemy or nothing, which would you choose?" he queried.

Naruto blinked, his brow furrowing slightly. The rocker's lips were turned up slightly at one corner, anticipating his answer.

After a long, drawn out moment, Naruto sighed heavily. "Enemy."

A slim, black brow rose beneath equally dark bangs. "Is that right?" Sasuke replied with vague amusement. He turned around so that his back was pressed against the parapet, bracing his elbows against the edge. "Why?" he demanded, looking at him.

Naruto looked up at the blue sky, his eyes lingering on a particularly large cloud. "Because…then at least my existence would be acknowledged in some form by someone," he murmured. He felt the other's scrutinizing gaze on him. It was several moments before he finally cast Sasuke a glance.

Sasuke immediately snorted derisively. "Still the same fucking fool you've always been," he mocked with a shake of his head.

Naruto turned to face the other, shoving his hands in his pockets, as he looked squarely at him. "Better a fool than totally irrelevant."

Any trace of amusement vanished from Sasuke's face. His dark eyes hardened a fraction. He eased off the parapet and walked forward a few paces, flinging what was left of his cigarette down onto the floor, and snuffing it out with his boot. He turned around. "Now I remember exactly what pissed me off about you," he stated, crossing his arms, as he glared.

"What, Sasuke?" Naruto goaded dryly.

"Your passive self-righteousness," he snapped, his face darkening. "You might've been a prankster when we were younger, but you became worse than a mother, bitching at me every chance you got about following the right path and doing the right thing. 'Don't do this, Sasuke,' 'It's bad for you, Sasuke,' 'This isn't the way to do things, Sasuke.' Do you know how tired I was of that shit, and yet I still put up with it?"

"With your brother away, someone had to give a shit, Sasuke," Naruto ground out between clenched teeth.

"Oh, right!" Sasuke said, throwing up his hands dramatically. "Someone had to, and yet you turned your back on me just like everyone else!" he accused.

Naruto straightened, bringing those clenched fists out of his pockets. "_The fuck?_ _I_ turned my back on _you?_Get your facts straight, Sasuke—it was _you_ who abandoned _me_. I stayed the same; I tried to be your friend! But I didn't have the luxury of money to fall back on if I decided to drop out of high school. I had to stay focused and graduate. How the hell was I going to do that with you trying to convince me to skip classes with you and do stupid, useless shit?"

"Oh! Well, fuck. Forgive me! I'm so sorry for nearly holding you back in life," he declared, laying a hand over his chest. He then furiously turned, walking away from Naruto across the roof.

"It wasn't even really about that, Sasuke. I tried to help you!" Naruto heatedly insisted, following the other. "There was no one more important to me in the world than you. You were my fucking best friend! But the shit you were doing…it was just fucked up! We were teenagers. We should've been gaming every afternoon, going to homecoming and footballs games, and comparing dates our junior year—not going to fucking drug houses and sex parties!"

Sasuke whirled around to face him, his dark eyes blazing with anger. "So, because of that you called it quits, then? _I couldn't fucking control it!_ _Don't you understand!_ It would've been fucking nice to have been the perfect model student, the perfect teen idol that every one of those drones in school thought I was. I didn't give a shit about becoming a homecoming king! I didn't want to deal with insecure, anorexic bitches asking me every five seconds if they looked too fat! All the popular skanks wanted to fuck me and those loser jocks wanted to be my friends on Xbox, but they didn't know shit about me!"

"_And whose fault is that?_" Naruto shouted back in his face. "You never wanted to let anybody in! You even avoided school counseling. People tried to help you, and be kind to you after what happened with your parents!"

"I didn't give a shit about them! _I just cared about you!_" Sasuke yelled in return, his face contorted in sheer rage.

Naruto abruptly felt tears burn the back of his eyes. The other's words had struck a chord so powerfully within him that he desperately found himself trying to swallow down the lump he felt rise in his throat. Staring back into fathomless, dark eyes, Naruto was surprised to see the Uchiha's eyes become glossy, as his own probably were. He was silent as Sasuke set his jaw and turned around, giving him his leather-clad back, his fists clasped tightly at his sides.

Naruto sighed, feeling the anger drain away from him. It was quickly replaced instead by keen anguish. "I…when your parents died, I didn't know what to do," he said, his voice low. "I felt useless. You were in so much pain, yet, you didn't react the same way I did when…mine died, so I just tried to be there with you…but then, the following week, you showed up to school, as if nothing happened. You were completely different after that. I felt like…I didn't know you anymore…and you wanted me to lose myself with you," he murmured softly, his gaze downcast.

Sasuke shifted slightly in his stance. "How the fuck was I supposed to deal with it?" he said with a slight rasp in his voice. He stared blankly in front of him. "My parents…especially my father, were assholes, but…they were my parents. I wanted nothing more than for them to leave me alone, and when they did…I felt like shit. I hated what they put me through when they were alive, but I hated what they put me through when they died even more. I suddenly didn't have to be a perfect teenager like Itachi was anymore, a perfect Uchiha… and I didn't know what to do," he admitted quietly.

Naruto stared at the other's back, his heart aching for him. He walked around Sasuke until he was facing him. "Well…you don't have to run from being a perfect teenager anymore, Sasuke. You're an adult now—we both are. There's nothing to run from anymore," he assured unfalteringly.

Sasuke stared back at him in silence, the gentle breeze blowing the tendrils of his ebony bangs around his face. Naruto felt his breath catch a little, as he assessed that Sasuke's face looked calmly reflective for the first time.

Suddenly, a loud gurgle was heard, causing both males to eye Naruto's stomach. Naruto covered his tummy with one hand. "Eh, I guess I'm a little hungry," he said with a hesitant chuckle. He would be, considering that the sun was hanging low in the sky now.

Sasuke lifted his gaze, eventually giving a soft snort. "Some things never change."

Naruto offered a tentative, lopsided smile. "Whatever." He abruptly walked past Sasuke who stared apprehensively after him. "I'm gonna grab a bite to eat." Naruto stopped before reaching the rooftop door, turning slightly to look back at the other. "You coming? My treat."

Sasuke stared wordlessly at the other. His mind was still trying to catch up with what had just transpired. As he stared at his long lost friend's endlessly blue eyes, and watched as the blond fringe above them shifted with the breeze, Sasuke felt an inkling of a feeling he hadn't felt in a quite some time.

_Hope_.

Throughout the final years of his tumultuous teenage existence, he'd moved through life like a robot, feeling nothing but a dark void within him where innocence had once been. He'd desperately sought to fill that void with cheap thrills, aggressive music, and nameless girls, only to feel emptier than before—inadvertently pushing away the one person he'd wanted by his side in the process. He needed a new lease; he needed something to believe in, even if he wouldn't admit to it aloud. He'd been too immature and scared to reach for it back then, but now…

He was an adult now, and he _was_ tired of running. All the fight was gone from him. Perhaps… little by little, he could possibly find a way to be the best true self he could be.

Stuffing his hands in his pockets, Sasuke silently caught up with Naruto, his footsteps lighter than they'd ever been.

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**A/N:**

This is my contribution to the 3,000 words or less Literary Quote Challenge over at **Y!** for the Reader Appreciation Club. I found it a lot of fun to do and this short drabble practically wrote itself. The title is taken from a song by Marina and the Diamonds (who i'm a bit wild about right now) of the same name, and the song subject helped inspire the general theme, so yay for my first one-shot! As usual, I want to thank Laura for always being eager to be the first to read whatever I write, as well as for helping me out with the summary.


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